If he won’t marry her,I will!
In order to stand up for the fake daughter who was rejected in a proposal,my husband of three years abandoned our wedding ceremony and fled on the spot.
And my biological brothers,instead of questioning anything,also got up and left.
When I saw the secretly filmed video from the assistant,my eyes burned with rage.
“Jason,three years ago when I ran away from the engagement banquet,it really wasn’t on purpose.It was just that I had just been diagnosed with cancer back then and my sister scolded me,saying I was a sickly burden to you all.I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to stay with you for long,so I…”Fiona spoke pitifully,twisting the truth.
“I know you’ve already been married to my sister for three years,you must have fallen in love with her too,right?Simon,Ethan…do you not like me as your little sister anymore either…”
Jason was silent for three seconds,then spoke,his voice as gentle as water,”No,I don’t love her.From beginning to end,the only one I’ve ever wanted to marry is you.”
Then,my eldest and second brothers also stepped forward,pulling her into their arms with deep distress.”Foolish girl,you were so seriously ill—why didn’t you tell your brothers?In our hearts,you’re the only sister.”
I stood there,as if stabbed straight through the chest,blood gushing out.
Then what was I supposed to be?
Ever since I,the true daughter who had been lost and later brought back to the Corvin Family,returned home,I had been living like an invisible shadow.
It wasn’t until three years ago,when Fiona fled at her engagement banquet with Jason,that my life finally began to change.
My eldest brother,Simon,publicly declared that he was severing ties with the fake daughter,and from then on,he would only acknowledge me,the true daughter.
Jason,without a moment’s hesitation,pulled me along to register our marriage.”It doesn’t matter who it is—my wife can be anyone!”
For those three years,I lived as if in a dream.My brothers doted on me endlessly and my husband was gentle and considerate.
I thought I had gained the love of my brothers as well as the love of Jason.
Today was the wedding ceremony I had spent three years planning and finally obtained.But because Fiona came back,every single one of them chose to abandon me.
Tears nearly blurred my vision.As I tore apart the hundred-thousand-dollar wedding dress with all my strength,my trembling hands dialed that long-forgotten number.”Sir…could you…come and take me away?”
Since I could never truly fit into this family,then I chose to leave and never come back.
The man’s voice came through the phone.”Come with me.I’ll arrange immigration for you.But think it through carefully—once you leave with me,you’ll never return to this country.”
I froze for two seconds,a bitter smile spreading across my face.”I know.I don’t plan on coming back.”
“Alright.Wait for my people to finish the paperwork and come get you.”
I hung up the call and returned to the dressing room,wiping away the heavy makeup from my face,stroke by stroke.
A stolen dream was bound to end sooner or later—perhaps I was never meant to be loved.
That night,the moment I stepped through the Corvin Family’s doors,the sight before me stabbed at my eyes with unbearable pain.
Jason—who had never cooked,who hated the smell of oil and smoke—was standing at the stove in an apron,clumsy yet careful as he simmered soup for Fiona.
Simon and Ethan sat on either side of her,attentively asking what kind of wedding she liked and where she wanted to go for her honeymoon.
I froze in place,my chest feeling as though it had been struck by a heavy hammer—because this was the scene I had dreamed of countless times.
Fiona and I were switched at birth on the day we were born.
The family that took me home looked down on me for being a girl and neglected me completely from childhood.
It wasn’t until I was fifteen that I was told the truth—that I was in fact the daughter of the prestigious Corvin Family.
Having never known a father’s or a mother’s love,I couldn’t help but place all of my hopes and expectations on my blood relatives.
But who could have known that my biological parents had long since passed away,leaving only my eldest and second brothers in the Corvin Family.
In order to keep Fiona with them,they paid a huge sum of money to the family that raised her and forcibly adopted her.
From that moment on,I became nothing more than a shadow.
When I was shivering with pneumonia at home,my brothers were busy accompanying Fiona to a concert.
When she locked me in a dark little room full of spiders and I cried the whole night,begging my brothers for help,I was scolded for lying and left without food for three whole days.
In high school,when my family found my diary where I had written about liking Jason,Fiona immediately said she liked him too.
That very night,my eldest brother decided on an engagement between her and Jason—completely disregarding the fact that it was my feelings on the line.
Fiona was the one who grew up with them,the princess who had been cherished for years.
I was nothing more than an ugly duckling who had mistakenly stumbled into a castle that was never mine.
I thought my life would remain that way forever—until three years ago,when Fiona,out of rebellion,ran away from her engagement banquet with Jason.
At the moment Jason pulled me to register our marriage,I made up my mind.I would seize this chance to make my elder brothers accept me and to make Jason fall in love with me.
And I truly did become someone visible in their eyes.
In these three years,whenever Simon returned from a business trip,he would always bring back a chest full of the latest gowns and jewelry.
My second brother,Ethan,had a globally limited-edition piano custom-made just for me,presenting it publicly at my birthday banquet.
Jason would raise his paddle at jewelry exhibitions until the price soared sky-high,all for the sake of a pink diamond ring my gaze had lingered on for just a moment.
He once took me on a private jet,just to fulfill a casual remark I made about wanting to see the aurora.
Naively,I believed that all the boundless affection that once belonged to Fiona had finally fallen upon me.
But now I realized—it wasn’t like that.What I received was nothing more than the scraps that slipped through Fiona’s fingers.
Jason would spend a fortune on extravagant gifts for me,yet he had never once cooked a single meal with his own hands for my sake.
My brothers could order me the hundred-thousand-dollar wedding dress without even blinking,yet they never once asked me directly about what kind of wedding I wanted,or where I wished to go for my honeymoon.
All the true love belonged only to Fiona.
When Jason lifted his gaze and saw me,a frown creased his brow.He pulled me straight into the kitchen,lowering his voice.
“Callista,don’t bring up the marriage in front of Fiona again.She’s sick and we’ve decided to fulfill her wish—to give her the wedding she’s always dreamed of.I told her that you and I never registered our marriage three years ago.”
My pupils contracted,a chill seeping into my heart.”Is it really about fulfilling her…or just satisfying your own selfishness…”
“Don’t forget,you took the place that should have belonged to Fiona!”Jason’s tone was gentle,yet carried a warning.”So you,of all people,should be more understanding and be good.Listen,this is only temporary.Of course,my wife will always be you.”
My breath caught in my throat.Before I could utter a word,Fiona suddenly burst into the kitchen.
“Callista…”she called softly,her voice dripping with honey.”You’re not unhappy that I’ve come back,are you?Thank you for taking care of Jason and my brothers for the past three years.It’s really such a relief that you didn’t register your marriage with Jason…No,I don’t mean anything else by that.Anyway,from now on,let’s get along well,okay?”
My back went rigid like a drawn steel wire.Every time she smiled like that,disaster always followed.
Sure enough,Fiona’s sleeve gave the slightest tremble and a large,pitch-black spider slowly crawled out.
Its eight legs crept along her wrist,like a malicious greeting.
My breath caught violently.Ever since Fiona had once locked me in with spiders for an entire night,I could no longer breathe whenever I saw one.
“It’s very tame,”Fiona said with an innocent smile.”Come on,say hello to Callista.”
Terror clenched around my throat.With a scream,I instinctively shoved her away.
Fiona’s body tilted and she fell straight to the ground.
“Callista,why did you push me?”Tears welled up in her eyes instantly,her voice trembling as though frightened.”Do you really hate that I came back?”
“You’re talking nonsense—”
Before I could even react,Jason’s expression had already darkened,his face cold as ice.”Callista,are you out of your mind?She’s sick and you still laid hands on her?”
He shoved me hard and my whole body was flung against the stove.
The scalding soup pot overturned,lid and all,the thick boiling liquid splashing straight down onto my back.
In that instant,it felt as though my skin was being torn open alive,the burning heat searing straight into my bones.
I gasped sharply,the pain so intense that my vision went completely white.Yet not a single person spared me even a glance.
Simon was the first to rush over—but only to crouch down and lift Fiona into his arms.”Does it hurt?Did you hit yourself anywhere?I will take you to the hospital.”
He didn’t even raise his head,as if the acrid stench of burnt flesh behind him simply didn’t exist.
Ethan frowned and stepped up to me—not with concern,but to seize my collar so hard that I was forced onto my toes.
“Callista,you just can’t stop wallowing in filth!You’re still as vicious as you were three years ago!Fiona already told us—it was you who threatened her to leave and she couldn’t handle the pressure,so she left sick.Now that she’s finally come back,if you dare to bully her again,don’t blame me for being ruthless!”
My back trembled from the pain,tears spilling uncontrollably down my cheeks.”I never did such a thing!”
Jason’s expression was so cold it felt like he was a stranger.”Callista,just to compete for attention,you would even go after someone who’s ill?Your methods…truly disgust me.”
His gaze fell on me as though I were nothing more than a pile of garbage.
It was a look I had never seen in his eyes before—like every last shred of patience with me had been exhausted.
Fiona,supported to her feet,lifted her eyes to him,her voice drifting softly.”Jason,don’t blame her.Maybe she just doesn’t like me…”
Jason’s eyes darkened.Reaching out,he wrapped his arm around her shoulders,his voice gentle as he soothed her.”Don’t be afraid.As long as we like you,that’s enough.”
The pain on my back surged in waves like a relentless tide,leaving me barely able to stand.
Through the blur of my vision,I could only make out three tall figures,one after another,shielding Fiona as they walked out the door—the light casting their side profiles in a warm glow.
They gave her all—the tenderness,the heartache,the instinct to protect.
They always believed Fiona so easily,without hesitation.And I was left alone in the vast,empty living room,collapsing into despair until consciousness slipped away.
When I woke again,the pain stabbed so fiercely it seemed to cut right through my bones.
My eyelids felt weighed down with lead,my chest unbearably tight.Even the slightest breath tugged at the wound,like someone was tearing me apart from the inside.
And yet—I was still at home.No one had bothered to take me to the hospital.
The housemaid stood stiffly at the foot of the bed,her hands twisting the apron into knots,eyes darting everywhere but me,not daring to meet my gaze.
“Awake?”
A deep,cold voice rang out from the doorway.
I turned my head and saw Simon and Ethan step into the room almost at the same time.Their strides were hurried,their expressions carrying a heavy weight that pressed down on me like a suffocating force.
Simon strode straight to the bedside,lowering his gaze onto me.His tone was icy,utterly devoid of warmth.”Fiona is in the hospital,losing too much blood.This afternoon,you caused her wound to reopen.Now you must give blood to make amends.”
I froze,a wave of cold absurdity rising in my chest.”I didn’t hurt her.I’m not giving blood.”
Ethan sneered coldly.”Everyone saw it—you pushed her and caused her to be shocked.This is your debt and now you have to pay!”
“I already said I didn’t—”I shouted instinctively,only to be cut off by Simon’s piercing glare.
“Shut up!Whether you admit it or not,your blood type is the perfect match.Get up right now and come with us to the hospital.”
I gritted my teeth as waves of pain slammed against my chest.”I’m not going!I didn’t do anything wrong—why should I give blood?I’m injured!If I give blood,I could die!”
The air froze instantly.
Ethan narrowed his eyes and stepped forward,looking down at me,his voice low and cold.”If you won’t give the blood willingly,you’ll have to do it by force.”
“If you had any conscience at all,you would give your blood to Fiona voluntarily,”Simon’s face darkened to an extreme shade.”Otherwise,starting today,we have no sister in you!”
In that instant,my eardrums seemed to explode with a loud ringing.
I looked at the two people who had protected and loved me for the past three years—my family—and felt my chest hollow out completely.So,in their eyes,my life was worth so little.
They knew how much I valued their love and used the threat of severing ties to control me.
“I said it—I’m not in the wrong!I won’t give her a drop of my blood!”My voice trembled,yet cut through the air with piercing clarity.
They would never know that I had already made up my mind to leave—their threats no longer held any power over me.
Simon’s eyes turned suddenly frigid.”Hold her down.Make her kneel!”
The housemaid flinched in fear,not daring to move.
Ethan strode forward without hesitation,yanking me off the bed.My knees slammed hard against the cold floor,the pain so sharp my vision went black.
“Kneel here and think carefully!You’ll only be allowed to stand once you agree to give blood and admit your mistake!”
I bit down hard on my lip,my back held perfectly straight.”I will not admit to something I never did!”
The patience in Simon’s eyes was completely exhausted.In an icy voice,he commanded,”Pin her down and take her to the hospital!”
Ethan roughly grabbed my arm.When I struggled,the movement tugged at my wound,sending sharp pain through me as cold sweat trickled down my back.My hands and feet were firmly pinned down and the light before my eyes grew dimmer and dimmer.
A sudden surge of searing pain rushed through my chest,draining all my strength.The voices around me sounded distant,as if muffled by water.
I lost consciousness once again.
***
When I woke up again,the pungent smell of disinfectant filled my nose.
The cold hospital bed made me shiver,while the burning pain in my back felt like countless needles pricking into me.
Through the half-open ward door,I heard the doctor’s low and regretful voice.”Her back is covered with injuries.In this condition,drawing more blood could be life-threatening.”
“Do it!”Simon’s voice was cold and unyielding,without the slightest hesitation.”She harmed Fiona—she must pay for it!”
The doctor fell silent for a few seconds before letting out a sigh.”You’re taking her life…”
That sigh cut through my heart like a rusty blade,dragging along a dull,aching pain.
Even a doctor who was a complete stranger could feel pity for what I was going through—yet the family I had lived with for so many years could not.
I tried to lift my hand,but it was pinned in place by the cold needle.
As blood flowed away through the transparent tube,it felt as though my heart,along with my body,was slowly losing all warmth.
In the haze of my fading consciousness,I seemed to hear Jason’s voice.He spoke in a low,soothing tone,so gentle it was as if he feared breaking me.
“Callista,be good,just endure a little longer…I know you’ve been wronged.When Fiona wakes up,I’ll make it up to you.”
Before I could gather my thoughts,the next moment I heard his anxious voice.”Doctor,is this amount of blood enough?Should we draw some more?”
In that instant,every drop of blood in my body turned cold.
All these years,I had stayed by Jason’s side through the darkest nights.I supported him step by step until he climbed to the top position in the Whitlock family.
After so much effort,I had finally waited for his response to my love.Yet,laughably,the moment Fiona returned,I became nothing.
Was this truly the man I had loved for so many years?
I closed my eyes.The suffocating pain in my chest and the burning agony on my back intertwined,as if tearing me apart.
Perhaps it was better this way—there was nothing left for me to hold on to.I had already completed the procedures for immigration.All I needed now was to find a way to get Jason to sign the divorce papers and I would finally be free.
But I knew that if I directly placed the divorce agreement in front of him,he would hesitate.For the sake of his cooperation with the Corvin Family,he would refuse to divorce.
After all,to put it bluntly,with Fiona now”gravely ill,”if he were to marry her and wait until Fiona”died,”there would no longer be any reason for the Whitlock and Corvin families to remain bound together.
But I hadn’t expected the chance to make Jason sign to come so soon.
Before I had even recovered for a few days,he came to force me to attend the birthday banquet for me and Fiona.
Ever since I was brought back to the Corvin Family,our birthdays had been forever bound together.
On stage,she was always the star,while I was nothing more than a backdrop.
At first,I didn’t want to go.My body was weak and my heart even more exhausted.Yet Jason yanked me up from the bed,his voice icy.”If it weren’t for Fiona saying she wanted to make peace with you,I wouldn’t bother bringing you along.”
Make peace?
I let out a low,bitter laugh.Most likely,Fiona had prepared a trap for me.
But…my gaze flickered slightly.
“Jason…”I suddenly lowered my eyes,my voice softening with a hint of cautiousness.”Today is my birthday and I want a gift too.”
He was clearly impatient,urging me to change clothes quickly,but still asked casually,”What gift?”
I pointed at the file bag on the bedside table—inside were several thick documents I had prepared long ago,with a purchase contract for a seaside villa on top.
“I want that house,”I said softly,my tone sounding half like a sulky plea.”The documents are all ready…all that’s left is your signature.”
As expected,Jason didn’t think much of it.A seaside villa worth only a few hundred thousand dollars—giving it away was nothing.It wasn’t even a tenth of the gift he had prepared for Fiona.
Call after call from Fiona kept coming in,urging him to hurry and bring me over.
Jason flipped straight to the last page of the documents.Without even glancing carefully,he swiftly scrawled his name across it.
As I watched those familiar strokes fall onto the black-and-white paper,my chest suddenly tightened and a sour sting rose to my nose.
Still,I forced a faint smile and whispered,”Thank you.”
He didn’t notice my expression at all—just tossed the pen aside impatiently and said coldly,”Hurry up and get changed.Stop dawdling.”
In silence,I slipped the divorce agreement,disguised as the property purchase contract,into my bag.
The revolving doors of the hotel spun round and round,swallowing people inside,while golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling.
Bouquets were stacked upon bouquets in the private room,a champagne tower bubbling under the lights.In the center sat two birthday hats—yet the only one truly crowned was Fiona.
Dressed in a white puffed dress,Fiona smiled sweetly.”Callista,come on,everyone’s waiting for you.”
I silently set the gift box down on the long table at the side.
It was Jason who told me to bring a gift,saying that since Fiona had also prepared one for me,I couldn’t show up empty-handed.
When Fiona saw the box,she looked both touched and delighted.Without hesitation,she reached out to unwrap it,her fingertips tugging at the golden thread.
In the very next instant,a dead rat tumbled out of the box.Its tail flicked as it hit the thick carpet,leaving behind a dark,glistening arc.
The room fell silent at first—then erupted.
“Ah,disgusting!”someone screamed.
Ethan let out a cold sneer.”Callista,are you deliberately looking for trouble?How dare you give a dead rat as a gift!”
Simon’s face darkened on the spot.”Today is Fiona’s birthday and you bring something like this…Do you have no shame at all?”
Jason’s expression turned grim,his voice icy.”I clearly prepared an LV bag for you to give her—when did you turn it into a dead rat,Callista?”
I lowered my eyes,staring at the stiff rat and found I no longer even had the desire to defend myself.
It wasn’t me who put it there,but any explanation would be useless.
After all,nothing I said would ever be believed.
“It’s fine…”Fiona shrank back behind Jason as if”frightened,”clutching his arm with reddened eyes.”Maybe she was just…joking.Simon,Ethan,Jason,don’t blame her.”
The more she acted this way,the more disgusted they all felt toward me.
Jason cast me a glance,his eyes as cold and distant as snow.”Don’t make a scene.Sit down.I’ll deal with you later.”
For the sake of not ruining their beloved sister’s—or woman’s—birthday banquet,the men swallowed their anger and carried on with the celebration.
I sat at the very edge,close to the door,like an outsider who could be thrown out at any moment.
A waiter pushed in a two-tiered strawberry cream cake,candles arranged in the shape of a heart.
Someone called out,laughing,”Fiona,make a wish first!”
Fiona pressed her hands together with a beaming smile—yet her eyes were fixed squarely on me.
She spoke slowly,her voice soft and sweet.”My first wish…is to be with Jason forever.”
The crowd immediately erupted into cheers.”Kiss!Kiss!”
Rising on her toes,she pressed her lips to his.
Jason didn’t turn away—instead,he even slipped an arm around her waist.
Applause,whistles and laughter crashed over me in waves,each louder than the last,drowning me.
“And the second wish?”someone asked.
“The second…”Fiona lowered her gaze,her cheeks tinged red.”Jason,let’s rehearse the wedding,okay?The wedding is only three days away and I’m afraid I won’t be a good bride.”
She seized Jason’s hand and,imitating the tone of a wedding officiant,said,”Groom,please kneel on one knee and give me a promise,okay?”
I heard the scrape of a chair leg against the floor.
Jason actually knelt down.
Right in front of me—his still-legally-wedded wife—he knelt to propose to another woman.
Looking up at her,his voice low and steady,he said,”I will treat you well,Fiona.”
I sat in the corner,as if watching a drama that belonged to someone else’s life.
On the screen,the two kissed,embraced,exchanged vows.Outside the screen,my chest felt hollow—so empty that I couldn’t even summon the strength to feel bitter.
It didn’t matter.I was leaving,I thought.
From now on,we would never see each other again.
Fiona looked at me,but her smile gradually faded.
My calmness had taken away from her joy.
Suddenly,she turned and pouted playfully at the crowd.”I want to spend a little private birthday time with my girlfriends.Can you all go outside and help me pick up the party favors the hotel sent to this floor?Just treat it as a surprise for me,okay?”
Simon was the first to stand.”Alright,we’ll go check with the front desk.”
Ethan left with a few of the guys,muttering under his breath as he walked,”Better not let anything else go wrong…”
As he stepped out the door,Jason glanced at me,his look like a warning.”Don’t cause trouble.”
The door clicked shut,the lock falling into place.
Inside the private room,only I,Fiona and her so-called”girlfriends”remained.
The music was turned down and the sweet,cloying scent of cake suddenly became nauseating.
Fiona’s stilettos clicked against the floor as she walked step by step toward me.She bent down slightly,smiling.”Are you satisfied with this birthday banquet?Everyone worked so hard for me—oh,pardon me,for you too,since it is your birthday as well.”
Fiona patted my shoulder with a feigned apology,then quickly drew her hand back as if afraid of dirtying herself.
“Don’t misunderstand,Callista.I’m not targeting you.I just…couldn’t help wanting to share my happiness with you.”She blinked playfully.
“See?Simon booked the venue,Ethan ordered the flowers,Jason chose the ring design.It hasn’t been made yet,but the way he knelt down—wasn’t it romantic?”
I lifted my eyes to her.
Her smile grew even sweeter.”Don’t be upset.It’s simply the truth—my brothers dote on me and Jason loves me.You’d be better off letting go sooner,so things won’t get ugly for everyone.”
Fiona had expected to see humiliation or sorrow on my face.Yet all she got was a soft”Mm.”
She froze for a second—my composure doused the flicker of excitement in her eyes like cold water on flame.
“You’re not angry?”she pressed,staring hard at me.”Or…are you just pretending,putting on a show in front of me because you can’t bear to let go?”
My gaze fell on a rotten strawberry on the table and suddenly,I found it almost funny.”Neither.Fiona,I’m leaving.From now on,the brothers and the male lead—they’re all yours.I don’t want them anymore.”
Fiona clearly hadn’t expected that answer.After a moment of dazed silence,her lips curved slowly,carrying a sharp,mocking sneer.
“I don’t believe you.You talk big,but deep down,you’re not willing to accept it.Besides—”She tapped her chest lightly.”I’ve never handed my life over to anyone else.I only believe in one thing—keeping fate in my own hands!”
The words had barely fallen when she suddenly raised her hand.
A sharp slap rang out—landing squarely on her own cheek.
Before I could even react,several sharp,vicious blows landed in rapid succession.Her pale,radiant face quickly became streaked with red welts.
I narrowed my eyes.”What are you doing?”
But it was as if she hadn’t heard me.She lowered her head,tugging at the strap of her gown until it slipped off her shoulder,exposing a sliver of collarbone.Then,with her fingernails,she raked across her own skin,leaving faint red marks.
At the same time,she suddenly lifted her gaze—sending a quick,deliberate wink toward the girls behind her.
One of the girls instantly caught on and rushed forward,pretending to block me.”Don’t go near Fiona!”
Another seized Fiona’s arm,feigning a struggle,her sharp voice echoing in the room.”Callista,how can you be so vicious!”
A chair clattered to the ground,plates rattled and crashed—chaos carefully staged,filling the air.
They clustered protectively around Fiona,their positions calculated to perfection.
So that when the door swung open from the outside,at just a glance,it looked exactly like they were holding me back from bullying Fiona.
Fiona let out a piercing scream,sobbing,”Simon!Ethan!Jason…help me—!”
The private room door flew open.Simon,Ethan and Jason all stormed in at once.
She threw herself into Jason’s arms,weeping like a broken blossom.”Callista said I should give her back my blood.I told her if I did,I’d die and then she said she’d ruin me—she even hit me…”
Simon’s palm struck across my face.My whole body staggered,crashing into the dining table,a ringing filling my ears.
“Callista,having a sister like you makes me sick!”he spat,teeth gritted.
Ethan’s gaze was even colder.His hand shot out,seizing my collar.”Callista!You want to fight for favor,is that it?Fine.You lot—come hold her down.Strip her.Let’s see who gets ruined first!!”
Instinctively,I struggled,but Ethan’s strength was overwhelming.The sound of fabric tearing ripped through the air,sharp and humiliating.
“Jason,film her like this!Show everyone what kind of monster she is!”
Jason stood to the side,his brows furrowed tightly.
He knew that when I was a child,I had been violated and left with shadows.He had once held me in his arms the whole night,comforting me with heartache.Yet now,after only a pause,he raised his phone,aimed the lens at me and said coldly,”Callista,you’ve gone too far.I’m starting to regret marrying you in the first place.”
“Let her see how shameless she is!”Ethan said coldly.
Despair and humiliation cut into my bones like a knife,inch by inch.
Again.It was happening again!
It had happened countless times before.Clearly it was Fiona who pushed me down the stairs,yet she cried and said I was the one trying to hurt her.My two brothers took the ruler and beat me for a whole hour.
Clearly,it was Fiona who broke the vase,yet she clutched her cut hand and said I pushed her.My brothers punished me by making me kneel on the shards all night.
On my eighteenth birthday,it was Fiona who threw the cake into the trash,yet with red eyes she claimed I deliberately ruined her celebration.My brothers forced me to pick the cake out of the garbage and eat it.
Countless times!
In this family,no one had ever been willing to believe me.
Back then,when the na?ve me went to Jason for help,the words he spoke were almost the same as now.
“Isn’t this your fault?Callista,I regret being friends with you.You’re always lying.”
Ethan heard my murmur.He had intended to sneer with disdain.
But when his gaze met my hollow,numb eyes,his throat caught.The words of mockery stuck and his hand instinctively loosened.
I slowly stood up,my voice unnervingly calm.”Since you all believe I’m the one at fault,then I won’t stay here in your way anymore.From now on…I’ll never be in your way again.”
The room fell into a brief silence.
Simon frowned,clearly dismissing my words as nothing more than stubborn refusal to admit fault.
With an impatient wave of his hand,he said coldly,”Enough,stop pretending to be pitiful.Go home and reflect!Don’t ruin today’s atmosphere.”
Fiona pressed her lips together,the flicker of a smile in her eyes concealed flawlessly.She seemed utterly certain that no matter what I said or did,it would only ever be taken as a joke.
Jason’s gaze darkened,lingering on me for a moment,yet he did not speak up to stop any of it.He locked his phone and anyone standing behind him would have seen that he never once tapped the record button.
I neither knew nor cared anymore as I staggered toward the door.
The last thing I saw was Fiona’s triumphant gaze.Her lips moved silently,forming words that meant:See?You,Callista,will never beat me.
But Fiona,I no longer wish to fight you for these men who never loved me.If I could make a birthday wish too,then I would wish that I could live the rest of my life in happiness—never again entangled with Jason,Simon,or Ethan.
Not a single person cared about my departure.
The night wind was cold as I hailed a cab and sent the agreement straight to the law firm.
The lawyer flipped through the documents and after confirming there were no issues,he solemnly stamped it with his seal.
After that,I went alone to the City Hall to sever ties with the Corvin Family.
The procedures were so complicated,the required paperwork so endless,that I almost felt like giving up halfway.
But with Ronald’s assistant arranging everything,the process unfolded step by step—authentication,signatures,archiving…each stage handled with impeccable order.
“Miss Corvin,are you certain you want to sever this relationship?This is an irreversible decision,”the staff member asked one last time.
I smiled,my gaze unwavering.”Yes.From today onward,I will have nothing more to do with them.”
When the red seal came down,it was as though I heard a faint snap deep inside me—a string breaking.
Relieved,yet hollow.
By the time the paperwork was done,dawn had already broken.
I returned to that cold,lifeless house and began packing my belongings.There wasn’t much I could take with me anyway—most of the clothes and jewelry were gifts from them and I wanted none of it.
After placing the divorce certificate and the documents of severed ties neatly on my desk,I picked up my suitcase and quietly closed the door behind me.
When I stepped out of the Corvin residence,the sky had fully brightened.The first ray of morning light fell across my face,like a rebirth.
I did not look back.
No one knew that I had truly left.
↓ ↓ Download the NovelShort app, Search 【 586480 】reads the whole book. ↓ ↓
NovelShort
